There's a huge price difference between the ones sold at Home Goods & WS. My guess is that there knockoffs.

I bought all my le creuset at a non-chain kitchen specialty store that was offering them at 50% off on some items and 75% off on a few others. It was a discontinued color and they were getting them off their shelves. I was in the right place at the right time and got just about every size, shape, and quart size and only paid about $1200 for over 15 separate items to add to my other pieces at home. The only one that I am not fond of is a 12 quart big oval baker/roaster. It is so heavy by itself, that when food is in it, I have to rig a cherry picker in the kitchen to get it in and out of the oven. They are all made in France. Nothing else or anywhere else.

However, I did hear a rumor that some china and cookware companies were experimenting with other countries manufacturing their items. British china companies were being sent to somewhere in South America, and I bet it was maybe lecreuset and chantal that went pacific rim??

And, knock-offs are common, so that might be the case of a good price at a discount department store.

Did you know that if you have auction houses in your area, you can sometimes let them know you are interested in these items and ask to be contacted when they come up.

I did that a few years ago to collect some Fostoria Crystal. It isn't all that great, but I wanted some from the 50's that reminded me of my grandmother's holiday table. I was able to get service for 20 of all the pieces I wanted in the pattern I wanted. It took me a little over two years at auctions and eBay.

equinelady.....

I was worried after I read your post. I ordered a le creuset french oven last saturday from cutleryandmore.com . It came today and it is stamped France on the bottom. The price was good and it came with a le creuset cook book and spatula set, Free shipping was also a plus.

Now I want more!!
Claudia

I just ran out to the kitchen to check my Le Creuset--which I just got right before Christmas. It's all stamped France.

Interesting to know. I do love the product, and might be adding a few pieces in the future. Will DEFINITELY be checking where it's made--worth a few extra $$$ to me, to get the 'real deal'.

I only have one piece of Le Creuset - it's a big oval roaster in red. I think it's the 6-3/4 quart size - and I bought it at TJ Maxx three years ago at a very good price, something like $125. It has Made in France stamped on it.

Equinelady, you said you bought BAKEWARE so I assume you don't mean the cast iron items.
Perhaps that is the difference. Maybe the glass items and bakeware are NOT made in France.
Anyone have any bakeware to check?

I just looked at two of my ceramic bakeware LeCrueset pieces and one says, "06.24 LeCrueset" and the other says, "06.22 LeCrueset".

The 06.24 was a square baking pan for brownies, like a 9x9, and the other, the 06.22 was an oval baker that I use for things like small casseroles and seafood bakes.

It wasn't marked with any country name at all. Not anywhere I could easily discern anyway.

Apparently all of their cast iron pieces are made in France but their bakeware/stoneware is made in Asia.

I have the little stoneware mini casseroles that Karen sent in a swap and they have 09.04 on the bottom along with the Le Creuset name. No country.

Ann

My cast iron 9 x 11 (?) casserole is made in France. I checked 5 other enamel stoneware baking dishes and 2 sets of ramekins purchased in recent years / months and they also have the number sequence, Le Creuset name and no country. I have many pieces of the cast iron in various sizes & shapes - I love them. I have also taken advantage of the 99 year warranty on a few pieces where the surface had bubbled about 8 years ago. They were replaced with the most recent model at the time.

Thanks for all your comments, I decided to email the company and this is their response. Judging by your comments looks like they only stamp the country when it is made in France.
Dear Cindy Bennett
Thank you for your interest in Le Creuset. Currently we offer several lines of cookware made by different countries. The item that you purchased is from our stoneware collection. All Le Creuset stoneware and enamel on steel such as teakettles and stockpots are manufactured in Thailand. The stainless steel is manufactured in China and all cast iron is manufactured in France. If you are looking for items from France, that would be only in the line of cast iron.
Regards,
Consumer Relations Dept.

I'm a newbie to this forum and it was interesting to find this thread. I have a large Chantal pot with a glass and metal lid that I just love. It has no markings on the pot itself, but Chantal is indented on the pot's metal lid handle and on the glass part of the lid it has Chantal 21. I do hope it wasn't made in China.

Also, I just found out that Lodge makes two enamel over cast iron pots. One is a 3 qt. and the other is a 6 qt. I was thinking about getting the 6 qt. dutch oven to make a specific bread recipe I have. Now I want to check and see where it was made first.